The Real Sicilians

Without Sicily, Italy leaves no image in the soul. Sicily is the key to everything. --Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Sicily is more than temples, castles, churches and beaches; it's people, too. Who are the real Sicilians? They're the heart and soul of the place called Sicily, and they're worth getting to know. Sicilians are the real people who make Sicily the special place it is.

Eighteenth century British aristocrats, followed by the Germans and French, established the idea of the "Grand Tour" of Europe to discover the peoples whose history had so influenced their own. For those who could afford it, this was a great opportunity to learn everything that the history books didn't mention. By the 1970s, travelers had evolved into "tourists" interested in efficient sightseeing and good food.

Things seem to have come full circle, since twenty-first century travelers seem motivated to learn something about the people of the places they visit. They're more sophisticated than ever. Even the Americans among them seem to have discarded the notion the Italians are "just like Americans" but happen to speak a different language.

Today, most of the better hard copy travel guides and online destination guides share the philosophy that interesting places don't exist apart from their people. That you experience more of the place when you experience the people. That's probably why so many authors dedicate so much space to cultural topics. If people were all the same, they wouldn't be interesting. And if places were all the same, there'd be no reason to visit them.

You can better appreciate a church if you understand something about the weddings or other ceremonies that take place there. A castle or palace is truly appreciated when you understand something about the aristocracy. Even something as seemingly obvious as the city or the country is clearer when you know something about the lifestyles of its inhabitants. This means discovering a people's more appealing traits, and also some less attractive ones, but it's a reflection of real life, not the glossy image fabricated for "tourists." If you've never considered travel from this perspective, your trip to Sicily offers the perfect opportunity to start thinking about it this way.

Finding the real people isn't easy, but you'll usually have better luck away from tourist areas. You won't experience the "real Sicilians" among hotel personnel, tour guides and other travel industry professionals. You may have to venture off the tourist path to find them --to places like Capo d'Orlando or Caltavuturo. If you take this route, do remember that people are individuals, as in any society, and that in Sicily social class distinctions are more pronounced than what you'll encounter in most other parts of western Europe. In Sicily, one's social behavior, personality and values don't always correspond to what you may presume from their profession, formal education or material lifestyle. (This is implied on the city page.) That's one of the things that make Sicily different from New World societies like Australia, Canada and the United States, or the more industrialised societies of northwestern Europe. In Sicily --for better or worse-- parental, familial and peer influences are extremely strong.

It's sometimes better to avoid visiting Sicily in a tour group, if possible. Italian tour guides are generally knowledgeable (they have to pass a qualifying exam to be certified as guides), but they're locked into a structure that concentrates on places while virtually ignoring the local people. Moreover, their historical perspective is somewhat limited from the point of view of the more sophisticated traveler. It's almost impossible to understand Sicily's Normans, for example, without knowing something about England's, yet the typical Sicilian tour guide is not especially well-informed in this area overlooked by the review committee that certifies guides. (The same thing could be said of such topics as the Arab world, Greece, the Orthodox Church and Islam, which so greatly influenced the development of Sicilian civilization.)

Traveling on your own is more challenging, and requires more planning, but it's potentially far more rewarding than traveling in a large group. If you prefer having a guide, but don't like the idea of a large group, you may consider traveling with your own guide in a very small group. That's not to say that good tours are impossible to find; some group tours are exceptional.

To get the most out of your trip, we suggest you read as much about Sicily as possible before visiting. The Books Page offers some suggestions --books about Sicilian life as well as conventional history, cuisine, art and archaeology. The monthly Magazinealso presents articles on Sicilians, and Sicilian life and culture.

In view of all we've said, you may well ask, "Is Sicily another planet?" No, but it's virtually impossible to really get to know any society during just a few weeks, or even a few months. And understanding it could take a lifetime. If you're feeling really adventurous, you might even consider taking a short course in basic Italian before coming to Sicily. This is especially useful if you venture away from areas frequented by travelers.

Instead of considering the Sicilian personality --the things that make Sicilians Sicilian-- as a distinct topic, we've woven it into the cultural pages of this site, without, however, wishing to foster simplistic stereotypes --either positive or negative. For the most part, these thought-provoking essays reflect an observer's (or foreigner's) point of view.

Arts, design and cuisine are presented on the Arts page. Language, traditions and genealogy are described on the Modern History page. Certain typical Sicilian habits are described on the FAQs Page, while Sicilian Country Life is described on another. The page on Weddings considers its topic from a historical and social point of view. City Life offers a portrait of the challenges confronting most Sicilians in daily life. Heroes and Villains is dedicated to Sicily's most controversial social forces --the aristocracy and the Mafia.

Several pages deal with Sicilian life in a more specialized way. The Business Page is useful if you're considering doing business in Sicily. The Genealogy Page is a practical tool if you plan on researching family history. If you agree that a people's culture is reflected in its cuisine --or if you're just looking for good food-- our Food and Wine and Restaurant pages are certainly worth a visit. There's even a Recipe Page.